Contribution of Alfred, Aelfric, Wulfstan to Old English Prose:
There were few prose
writings before the time of Alfred, the king of Wesex. He was the pioneer among
the Anglo-Saxon prose writers. As Chaucer is called the father of English
poetry and Spenser the poets poet, so is Alfred reccognised the father of
English prose. Literary prose didn't begin until the 9th century when Alfred
attempted to bring back to his kingdom her lost learning. The miserable
condition of English learning was largely the depredations of the Danes. Even
the knowledge of Latin was declining and the king attempted to educate the
clergy so that they can translate the popular books like theology, history,
philosophy etc. into English. And these books are his contribution to English literature. In fact, he tried to revive learning. Sometimes he translated word
for word, at times freely. But those passages have great value both for the
understanding the character of the king and the literary quality of his prose
works. His five important translations are The Pastoral Care of Pope Gregory,
The History of The World of Orosius, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, Baethius,
Consolation of Philosophy, The Soliloquies of St. Augustin.